Dodecanese Islands Self-Launched Island Hop: Rhodes, Symi, Tilos & Chalki
8 days · Dodecanese Islands, Greece
Encounters Travel charges £950
No-markup version: ~£640 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of Encounters Travel's 8-day Dodecanese gulet cruise — same islands (Rhodes, Symi, Tilos, Chalki), same turquoise swimming bays and harbour tavernas, but you travel by Greece's excellent local ferry network and stay in family-run guesthouses instead of chartering a crewed boat. You get more freedom (and far more time ashore), you can swim at the same bays via water taxis or day boats, and you skip the risk of a single boat breakdown wiping out your trip. Costs are rough backpacker/budget-traveller estimates in GBP; ferries sell out fast in July–August so book ahead.
Day-by-day
Arrive Rhodes — Old Town & Mandraki Harbour
Rhodes Town, Rhodes
Fly into Rhodes Diagoras (RHO) and take bus 205 or the airport shuttle (about €3-4, ~30 min) into Rhodes Town. Check into a guesthouse inside or just outside the UNESCO-listed Medieval Old Town. Spend the afternoon walking the harbour waterfront past Mandraki's windmills and the Fort of St Nicholas, then lose yourself in the cobbled lanes of the Old Town. Pick up a Greek island SIM/eSIM on arrival and buy your onward Symi ferry ticket at the harbour kiosks. Evening: a welcome souvlaki or meze dinner at a taverna in the Old Town.
🚌Local bus from Rhodes airport to town (~£3); everything else on foot
🛏Family-run guesthouse in/near Rhodes Old Town (dorm or private double, ~£30)
- →Walk Rhodes Harbour waterfront and Mandraki windmills
- →Explore UNESCO Old Town of Rhodes
- →Browse Old Town markets for olive oil and spices
Ferry to Symi — Harbour Town & Nanou Bay
Symi
Take the morning Dodekanisos Seaways catamaran or Blue Star ferry from Rhodes to Symi (roughly 1–1.5 hrs, €17–25). The approach into Symi's horseshoe harbour at Gialos is one of the best arrivals in Greece. Drop bags at a guesthouse in Gialos or walk/climb the 500 steps up to Chorio and the Kali Strata. In the afternoon take a local water taxi or hop on a small day boat to Nanou Bay or the nearby coves for a swim and snorkel — bring your own mask and snorkel (cheap to buy in Rhodes). Dinner at a waterfront taverna, with Symi shrimp if you're feeling flush.
🚌Dodekanisos Seaways / Blue Star ferry Rhodes–Symi (~£18); local water taxi to bays (~£10)
🛏Guesthouse in Gialos or Chorio, Symi (~£32)
- →Catamaran/ferry crossing to Symi
- →Swim and snorkel at Nanou Bay by water taxi
- →Climb the Kali Strata to Chorio
Symi — Panormitis Monastery & St George Bay
Symi
Either take the local bus or a small boat to the Monastery of the Archangel Michael Panormitis at the south end of the island (bus ~€5, boat trip similar) — a working monastery with a striking bell tower and pebble beach. Alternatively book a half-day excursion boat from Gialos to St George Bay (Agios Georgios Dysalonas) for cliff-backed swimming, with lunch aboard or a packed picnic from the bakery. Back in the evening, wander Chorio's alleys and eat at a family taverna.
🚌Local bus to Panormitis (~£5) or shared excursion boat to St George Bay (~£15)
🛏Guesthouse in Gialos or Chorio, Symi (~£32)
- →Visit Panormitis Monastery
- →Swim at St George Bay / Agios Georgios Dysalonas
- →Evening stroll in Chorio
Ferry to Tilos — Livadia, Akrogiali & Mikro Chorio
Livadia, Tilos
Ferry south from Symi to Tilos (often via Rhodes or with a change; roughly 1.5–3 hrs, €12–20 depending on routing — check Dodekanisos Seaways and Blue Star schedules and plan around the days Tilos is served). Base yourself in Livadia harbour, a laid-back village with a long pebble beach. Afternoon: swim at Akrogiali Bay, a short walk or scooter/taxi ride from Livadia. In the late afternoon hike or take a taxi up to the abandoned ghost village of Mikro Chorio (about 25–30 min walk uphill) — go at sunset. Dinner: local goat and farm-to-table dishes at a Livadia harbour taverna.
🚌Ferry Symi–Tilos (~£16); on-island walk/taxi to bays (~£6)
🛏Guesthouse or studio in Livadia, Tilos (~£28)
- →Swim and snorkel at Akrogiali Bay
- →Sunset walk to Mikro Chorio ghost village
- →Harbour taverna dinner in Livadia
Tilos — Trakhia Bay & Ferry to Chalki
Nimporio, Chalki
Morning swim at Trakhia Bay (taxi or scooter from Livadia; some local boats also run there), then catch the afternoon ferry to Chalki (via Rhodes in most schedules, ~2–3 hrs total, €15–22). Chalki is tiny and gorgeous: pastel neoclassical houses around a small circular harbour at Nimporio. Check into a guesthouse and go for an evening swim at Potamos or Ftenagia beach. If you're there on a Sunday or feast day, the little church mass around 7:30–8pm is worth attending. Dinner: seafood meze at a family-run waterfront taverna.
🚌Taxi/scooter to Trakhia Bay (~£6); ferry Tilos–Chalki (~£18)
🛏Guesthouse in Nimporio, Chalki (~£30)
- →Morning swim at Trakhia Bay
- →Ferry to Chalki
- →Evening swim at Potamos/Ftenagia and harbour meze dinner
Chalki to Rhodes — Anthony Quinn Bay & Kalithea
Faliraki / Kalithea, Rhodes
Early ferry from Chalki back to Rhodes (about 1–1.5 hrs, €12–18). Take the local bus to Faliraki or Kalithea and check into a budget hotel. In the afternoon, swim at Anthony Quinn Bay (bus to Faliraki then a short walk/taxi, or a water taxi from Faliraki beach) and explore the Kalithea coves, where the restored Arabic-style thermal baths spa sits above clear water. Treat yourself to a special dinner in Faliraki or back in Rhodes Town.
🚌Ferry Chalki–Rhodes (~£15); local buses to Faliraki/Anthony Quinn Bay (~£5)
🛏Budget hotel or hostel in Faliraki/Kalithea, Rhodes (~£38)
- →Swim at Anthony Quinn Bay
- →Explore Kalithea coves and thermal baths
- →Special dinner out
Rhodes Town — Palace of the Grand Master & Street of the Knights
Rhodes Town, Rhodes
Bus back into Rhodes Town and spend a full day in the Medieval City. Buy a combined ticket (about €10-14) for the Palace of the Grand Master, the Archaeological Museum and the Street of the Knights. Wander the moat walls, the Souk-like Sokratous Street bazaar and the old harbour. Optional: a short boat trip from Mandraki to see the Colossus site and the outer fortifications. Final-night farewell dinner at a traditional taverna in the Old Town — pitaroudia, stifado and a carafe of local wine.
🚌Local bus Faliraki–Rhodes Town (~£3); on foot in the Old Town
🛏Family-run guesthouse in/near Rhodes Old Town (~£30)
- →Palace of the Grand Master combined ticket
- →Street of the Knights and Old Town walls
- →Sokratous Street market
- →Farewell taverna dinner
Depart Rhodes
Rhodes Town, Rhodes
Breakfast at a bakery (bougatsa and coffee), a last stroll around Mandraki, then bus to Rhodes airport for your flight home. If you have a late flight, stash bags at the guesthouse and do one final swim at Elli Beach or the Old Town moat.
🚌Local bus Rhodes Town–airport (~£3)
🛏None (departure day)
- →Final Old Town wander
- →Optional swim at Elli Beach
Self-launched vs. Encounters Travel
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Encounters Travel | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£640 | £950 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £310 per person (33%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Encounters Travel-style trips? Check them out here.~£640
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Dodecanese Islands Self-Launched Island Hop: Rhodes, Symi, Tilos & Chalki cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £640 per person for 8 days in Dodecanese Islands, Greece. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Encounters Travel?+
Yes — Encounters Travel charges around £950 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £640 — a saving of roughly £310 (33%) per person.
How long is the Dodecanese Islands, Greece trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through Dodecanese Islands, Greece.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, beaches, culture trip through Dodecanese Islands, Greece, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.